- Kipchumba Murkomen, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Roads and Transport, presided over the graduation ceremony.
- Many students are placed at a crossroads after graduating.
- The VC noted that it’s never easy to stay focused all through, acknowledging the graduands’ sacrifice to finish the race.
Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology held its 20 graduation ceremony on December 1, 2023.
The glorious event, held on MMUST grounds, was witnessed by the students, graduands, lecturers, parents, government officials, locals and people from other places.
The graduands were more than ready to meet their nirvana after finishing rehearsals three days before the event.
According to the students, it’s really worth investing in a journey that most people think is insignificant.
“Those who believe that it is a piece of cake are always humbled by the process necessary to receive their university degrees,” students say.
Kipchumba Murkomen, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Roads and Transport, presided over the graduation ceremony.
He was accompanied by various renowned government officials and politicians.
Dr. Pamela Sitienei, Chairperson of the MMUST 7th Council inaugurated in June 2023 in MMUST, was installed as the Pro-Chancellor during the ceremony by the University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Solomon Shibairo.
What to think about
It’s all about opportunities at university, and sometimes you don’t know which direction to look or where your route is going to lead, especially when you have friends who seem to know what they’re doing.
Sometimes, it’s best to start with the basics.
What piques your interest the most? What do you want to achieve in life? What does your life mean to you? It can be a little overwhelming for you. However, it is what universities urge their students to consider.
It may be difficult to fathom designing a university around the concepts of happiness, optimism, engagement, and well-being.
Let’s look it out
While many people see education as a method to capitalize on prospective employment opportunities, it is also a unique time to examine oneself and determine how you might profit and grow personally from the experience.
Many students are placed at a crossroads after graduating. What should I do now? Should I look for my dream graduate job? What about taking my academic career to the next level?
We sometimes conceive of obtaining a college degree as an event similar to purchasing a car. Obtaining a college degree, on the other hand, is the result of a process or, perhaps more accurately, a journey.
That voyage, however, is far too often tedious. Not all those who set out to achieve a bachelor’s degree succeed.
Students’ paths to college completion and the chance of success vary greatly based on their family history, the university or college they begin at, and the very variable situations that develop along the way.
Teaching and learning should always be relevant – whether it’s related to your degree or extra-curricular activities.
MMUST teaches its students necessary workplace skills, the importance of well-being, and how to have meaning in life, and proposes positive practices.
The big day
The 20th MMUST graduation celebration was a vibrant and spectacular event.
The university, as a whole, worked hard to make the ceremony memorable. The residents of Kakamega County filled the arena with amazing energy and passion, so the community was not left behind.
Businesspeople took advantage of the situation by bringing in goods to sell to individuals who were attending or participating in the event.
Speeches
Speaking during the occasion, MMUST VC Prof. Solomon Shibairo said, “We as Masinde Muliro University are more than happy to celebrate our graduating Class of 2023. You have, in the long run, kept the spirit of determination and enthusiasm towards reaching your nirvana.
It’s never easy to stay focused all through, but you’ve all sacrificed enough in order to finish the race. As MMUST, we’ve put the students as our major stakeholders and topmost priority.
Our mission and vision as a university of choice clearly showcase our inclination towards delivering quality education and impart crucial knowledge and skills that would enable us produce graduates that are well suited for the dynamic world of work.”
He also commented on the issue of insecurity, stating that in the previous years, many of the students residing outside Campus lived in fear of being attacked, robbed or even being sexually abused.
He added that it has taken a lot of intervention to ensure there’s high security in the areas prone to the aforementioned barbaric acts.
“I appreciate our parents and graduands for the sacrifices they’ve made to ensure we, the class of 2023, complete this amazing academic journey. MMUST is more than a place of learning.
It’s, to a great extent, a vibrant community that embraces diversity and fosters the pursuit of knowledge.
The friendships forged, lessons learned and the challenges overcome have all contributed to shaping us into well-rounded individuals ready to face the world.
The support we’ve received from our families, friends, and the entire university community has been an unshakable bridge. As we embark on our individual journey, let’s carry the spirit of MMUST with us,” said Opra Jepngetich, the valedictorian from the School of Nursing.
“Today marks a significant milestone in our lives. This journey has not been an easy one, but due to their resilience and unwavering determination, the graduands have successfully reached the pinnacle of this success.
To our generous sponsors of this university and the corporate world, you selflessly invested in our education and enabled us to obtain great opportunities,” said Benjamin Mutisya, the students’ President.
“As MMUST graduands of 2023, you should be well equipped to move forward, boldly and with courage. We’ve been called upon as young Africans to demand and seize power.
If you want a job, or to create a job, you’ve got to take charge, innovate and be industrious. The MMUST 7th Council ensures more ways of bringing in income so that the university remains sustainable. Our students deserve a 21st-century infrastructure.
Three weeks ago, we hosted a team of investors from UAE who have committed to funding and constructing a fully equipped student center worth Ksh 400,000,000.
Regarding accommodation, the investors are committed to renovating the student hostels. MMUST has a deficit of 10,000 units and we are working in conjunction with the State Department of Housing on the same,” explained Dr. Pamela Sitienei.
“As graduands, do not despise this humble beginning. The future depends on how you perceive it and the initiative you take to ensure a bright one.
For you to get to a higher level, you’ve to put in more effort, which you’re sure will eventually pay off.
Greater things are a head of you all who are graduating. On a different point, following the discussion on the safety of the MMUST students with regards to crossing the highway in front of the main gate, the government will purpose to build a flyover to aid with a safe crossing of the road,” explained CS Murkomen.
“I encourage continuing students to continue studying smart, putting in their zeal and determination to accomplish what brought them to this university of choice.
Stay focus-oriented and you’ll eventually wear the gown after the four years,” said Joseph Kilunda, one of the graduands from the School of Computing and Informatics.
Conferment of university degree
All the graduands who had qualified were respectively conferred with various Degrees, and others awarded various Diplomas and Certificates during the graduation.
The graduands were called upon, accompanied by their supervisors to be crowned by the Pro-Chancellor, Dr. Pamela Sitienei, who the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Solomon Shibairo, assisted.
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It was a magnificent ceremony and the congregation couldn’t stop expressing its excitement with joyous ululations.
